Closable golf putting target



April 6, 1965 J. NIAMTU, JR

CLOSABLE GOLFPUTTING TARGET Filed April l5, 1962 United States Patent O 3,176,991 CLOSABLE GLF PUTTING TARGET Niamtu, Jr., 1426 26th St., NW., Canton, @hie Filed Apr. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 187,253 2 (Ilaims. (Cl. 273-177) Joseph shape of the surface on which the device is placed. As

a result, the user must apply suilicient force when practicing putting to cause a golf ball to roll up the inclined plane before entering a ball-receiving aperture.

The device of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior putting practice devices by eliminat-v ing all 'inclined planes or other surfaces which would alter the rolling conditions of the ball. The device includes an openable ring comprising two semicircular members which are hinged together in such a manner that when a golf ball rolls into the open ring and strikes the hinge, the ring closes around the ball.

Any golfer desiring to practice putting at home is desirous of duplicating the actual conditions on a putting green as much as possible.y That can be done only by putting on a level surface straight into a hole or another target having a level approach. To properly improve ones putting, a golfer should practice with a device that tends to train his vision and to duplicate his feel on a normal putting green as much as possible.

Generally, it is an object of this invention to provide a golfers putting practice device which duplicates as much as practicable the conditions existing on a putting green of a golf course.

It is another object of this invention yto provide a` putting practice device for a golfer who desires to practice on a surface level path to target.

It is another object of this invention to provide an indoor putting practice device having an opening wide enough to permit entry of a golf ball, which opening substantially duplicates outdoor putting conditions.

it is another object of this invention to provide al putting practice ring having'two half-portions hingedly mounted together to permit the members to close together around a ball with a characteristic click when a directly into the ring.\

It is another object of this invention to provide a golfers putting practice ring which may be used indoors or outdoors and which is therefore ot relatively small size to enable ready portability of the ring by carrying it either on the golfers person or in a golf bag.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved device` which accomplishes the foregoing desiderata in an inexpensive manner.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved, and the described diiiiculties overcome by the discoveries, principles, apparatus, parts, elements, combinations, and subcombinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the foregoing general statements, preferred embodiments of which-illustrative of the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-are set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

goh" bail is pattedl 3,l76,99l Patented Apr. VV1955 The nature of the improved golfers putting practice device of the present invention may be stated inv general terms as including a preferably annular ring composed of two half-portions having one pair of adjacent ends hingedly secured together, whereby the other end may be separated by opening the ring to a desired spacing so that the force of a rolling ball against the hinge moves the hinge member a sur'hcient distance to cause the open ring half-portions to close around the ball. v

By way of example, the device of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

PEGURE l is a diagrammatic view of the manner in which the device is used in practice; Y

FlG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of the ring in the open position and showing a golf ball in broken line making initial contact therewith;

FlG. 3 is an elevational view of the ring shown in PlG. 2;

' FIG. 4 is a plan view of the ring in the closed position and showing the golf ball in broken lines within the ring; l

embodiment of the invention, showing the ring in the closed position; and Y FlG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the l embodiment of PEG. 7 in the open position similar to the position shown in FIG. 2. v

Similar numerals refer to similar various figures ot the drawings. y

The device of the present invention is an openable ring generally indicated at 1 in the drawings. It is composed of two half-portions 2 and 3 which are secured together by conventional hinge means such as a pin hinge 4 (FIG. 6), which includes a pin 5.

The Aring 1 is used by placing it on a level surface such las a floor or rug 6 indoors or on anfoutdoor surface such as grass. The ring 1 is open to a prescribed distance and a golf ball 7 is putted by a putter 3 toward the open ring i.. The object of each putt is to hit the ball 7 with suicient force to strike the center of the back edge of the ring where the hinge i is located. The force of the ball 7 striking the hinge si will cause the hinge 4 to move away from the ball, which in turn. brings the open ends 2a and 2m of the halt-portions together from the open position of FlG. 2 to the closed position of FIG. 4. It is desirable parts .throughout the that the ends 2a and 3cr meet with suflicient force to Acreate Y a satisfying sound.

As shown in FIG. l, a small ilag 9 maybe detachably mounted on the ring 1 by providing it as a detachable extension of the hinge pin S. vv

The ring l may be composed of molded or cast material such as plastic, wood, or hard rubber, but is preferably composed of fabricated sheet metal. In order for it to have the desired weight and rigidity, the substantially similar half-portions 2 and 3 are provided with upper and lower turned-in edges 10, as shown in FlG. 5. The portions of the members 2 and 3 forming the hinge 4 are preferably integral with said portions, as shown in FIG. 6, and the hinge is free-swinging. Any other hinge construction, however, may be used whichV is free-swinging.

Although the ring l basically includes the two half- Y 4 mounted in position, as shown in FIG. 5, so'that the position of the contact end portion 12 may be adjusted from time to time as deemed necessary, such as Where the ring is open to a lesser extent than completefopening,` as VshowninFIG.2. s Y ..1

The intermediate .portion of the bar 11 extends or inclined inwardlyfrom the Vend portion 13.V The end portion 12 is disposed at the inner end of the intermediate Vportion ofthe bar 11 and extends atan angle to the intermediate portion. Thus, a golferV may wish to practice a distance only slightly larger than the diameter of `the ball. In such event, a slight adjustment in the position moving the bar 11 with respect to the half-portion 2.

r tion by merely turning it with his extended putter or golf his putting with greater accuracy by opening the ring to .of the'c'ontact end portion should be made by slidably `Asfshovvn in FIGS. 2, 4, and'v 6, a stop member'14 is Y mounted onV the backof thehinge 4 for the purposey of limiting theextentof opening of the ring. The member 14 is secured by a weld 15 (FIG. 6) on one of the hinge members where it serves as a stop to prevent opening of the ring beyond the desired limit.` Thus the' distance between the spaced endsvZa and 3a, as shown in FIG. 2,

is equal to a distance considerably smaller than the diam-V eter. of a cup on the green of a golf course. That distance marks the central zone through which the ball must lpass in order to assure the ball ydropping'into the cup when it strikesthe backside thereof. Otherwise, if a ball is Finally; a vgolfer can reset the putting device quite easily Y Y by using his club, making it unnecessaryto stoop or evenf use his hands. He mayalso face the device in any direcclub.' More than one device can be used and placed in various locations to further duplicate practice putting conditions and -to afford more than one target and to make it unnecessary to constantly retrieve one ball each time.V In

tionillustrated and described herein Vis by way of example and thel scope of the presentinven'tion'is not limited to the exact construction shown.

Having now described the invention, construction, op-V eration and usel of a preferred ,embodiment thereofand' the advantageous,V new and ,usefull results obtained thereby;

' the new and useful golf putting practice device and reasonputted on the outer sides of the zone, the ball may roll with suihvcient vforce around eitherV edge of the cup withoutdropping in. Accordingly, the distance between the ends Y2a and 3a is preferably established bythe position of the stop member114 on the hinge'4. Other means than the stop member 14 may be provided Ysuch as a chain their opening and which closes the members when the ball 7` strikes the chain.` e

fable .mechanical equivalents thereof obviousk to those skilled in the art are'set forth in the'appended claims. YWhat is claimed is:, 'Y

l l k1. A golf training device including two members shaped l Vto jointly encircle afgolf ball and having 'one pair of end extending Vacross the open members 2 and`3, which limits i Another embodiment of the vinvention Yis shown in FIGS.V Y i 7v and"8 in which means for facilitatingrclosing of ring members 2 and 3 include a bar 16 having a target 17 at-v tached to one end portionf13,preferably by spot welding. The target 17 may be round and extends.` laterally on op'- positesides of the end portion 18. Anopposite end VYportion 19 of the bar 16`is preferably seated within upper and lower edges 10 ofthe half-portion 2 in a vmanner similar't'o that shown in FIG. 5. i p i The bars'll and 16 are preferably composed of flexible material such as sheet metallwhich yields slightly Yupon the ballstriking the contact end portion 12 or the target 17 andv whichrupon reflex actuates the half-portions 2 and 3 to close quickly to the position shown in FIG. 4 and there,-

' by `help to arrest the movement of theball '7.

Accordingly, the device of the present invention enables the user to practice putting away from the golf course under conditions which duplicate the conditions found on a putting greenas much as possible. i That can be done only by putting on a level surface directly into'a hole or another level'tar'get. The present device enables the user to practice putting by training ones vision and eeL `Ideal putting procedure requires that the golf ball be aimed toward the back edge center of the cup. The device `of thek presentV invention encourages that procedure in order to close vthe ring around the ball; YThe idea of portions interconnected by a hinge, `the members being rotatable about the' hinge and having another pair of end portions movable between opened and closed'positions,

lever means for closing the members and including a strike bar having-one end portion xedly attached to one member v and extending inwardly therefrom, the other end portion V0f the'strike bar being disposed across and spaced from the inner side of the hinge, a target attached to said, other l end portion of the strike bar, said target extending laterally on opposite sides of said other end portion, whereby striking of the target by a` golf ball moves `said other end portion to the closed position. l p

2. A golf training device including two members shaped to ,jointly encircle a golf ball, -a hinge connecting one end of one member to. one end of the other member, the members being movable between opened and closed positions,

' a stop mounted on theV hinge for limiting the extent of hitting the ball `with suicient force-to close the ring is in- :Y

tended to traina golfer tov putt aball hard enough tomaintain ati'uel line to andinto the cup. kWeakputts have a tendency to waiver and frequently roll out of line due to various conditions such'as grain of the grass, slopes, etc.

opening' ofthe members, Vleverv means for closing the members and having one end portion-xedly" secured to` one of the members and extendingradially inwardly therefrom, the other end portion lofthe lever means being disposed between the hinge and an opening provided by the members in the opened position, a target attached to' said other end portion of theV leve1.meanssaidV target extendingv laterally on opposite sidesr of said other end portion, whereby the portions move to the closed position when a golf ball rolls againstthe target.

i References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATESV PATENTS 111,489 stevens Jan. 31, 187i 269,166 .Y Bates c p Dec. 19, 1882 395,148 VJohnstone L Dec. 25, 1888 798,879 Corrigan y.; Sept.v 5, 1905 2,849,238 Eidredge Aug 26, s

FOREIGN PATENTS 902 ,Y Great BritainY isss 

1. A GOLF TRAINING DEVICE INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS SHAPED TO JOINTLY ENCIRCLE A GOLF BALL AND HAVING ONE PAIR OF END PORTIONS INTERCONNECTED BY A HINGE, THE MEMBERS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT THE HINGE AND HAVING ANOTHER PAIR OF END PORTIONS MOVABLE BETWEEN OPENED AND CLOSED POSITIONS, LEVER MEANS FOR CLOSING THE MEMBERS AND INCLUDING A STRIKE BAR HAVING ONE END PORTION FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO ONE MEMBER AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE STRIKE BAR BEING DISPOSED ACROSS AND SPACED FROM THE INNER SIDE OF THE HINGE, A TARGET ATTACHED TO SAID OTHER END PORTION OF THE STRIKE BAR, SAID TARGET EXTENDING LATERALLY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OTHER END PORTION, WHEREBY STRIKING OF THE TARGET BY A GOLF BALL MOVES SAID OTHER END PORTION TO THE CLOSED POSITION. 